The Beginning of IceClan (Edited!)
by Hollyheart
Summary: When Rouge, a past BloodClan cat receives nine lives from StarClan because of a vision, he knows he has his paws full. He has to adjust to a new life as Icestar, leader of IceClan, and get a camp set up in the snowy mountains, gathering cats on his way.
1. Rouge's Change

Rouge dragged himself though the tall grass, groaning with the effort.

River was right behind him, breathing hard. "How-how long have we been walking?" She managed to gasp.

Rouge broke though the weeds and sat down facing his mate. "All day."

River sighed. "What's the hurry?" Rouge looked at his paws for a heartbeat, and then looked back up at her.

"Because the city isn't safe. Remember those dogs?"

"How could I forget? They chased us all the way down the street. But you aren't telling me everything… are you Rouge?"

Rouge stood up. "We should get moving. We are wasting daylight."

River started walking again and muttered under her breath, "Yeah, because talking to me is such a waste."

Rouge sighed, but said nothing. He followed behind her looked up at the sky. The sun was going down. Soon they would need to find a place to stay for the night.

But where? It was a good thing they were leaving the city. There wasn't any cover there. Rouge was thinking about what they would do, when River jumped.

Rouge rushed to her side, startled. "What is it?"

"I don't know. I saw something moving in that bush." She gestured with her tail to a thick bush in front of them.

Rouge padded forward and scented the air. He turned back to River shaking his head. "River, there's nothing there."

River's eyes got wide. "Yes there was! I saw it."

Rouge swallowed hard. He knew who it was. But how could he explain to River that they were leaving the only place they knew because he had a couple dreams?

Rouge shuffled his paws, trying to think of an explanation. "It was probably just a squirrel."

River narrowed her eyes, but she just nodded her head. She obviously didn't believe him, but she said nothing. She just started walking again.

"Where are we going to stay?" She mewed, lashing her tail.

Rouge followed after her and thought a heartbeat before answering. "How about that hollow tree? There's a hole."

River inspected the tree, looking for signs of other animals. "It looks safe. Besides, I'm too tired to go somewhere else!"

Rouge mewed, "We should get some fresh-kill. Then we can go to sleep."

River looked relieved. "That sounds great."

They both came back to the tree a few minutes later, each of them holding prey in their mouths.

River set her prey at Rouge's paws, and he looked impressed. "Where did you learn to hunt like that?"

River smirked and mewed, "Hunter taught me."

Rouge nodded. It was always Hunter. Hunter was once River's best friend, until they were attacked by dogs.

River barely escaped; Hunter wasn't so lucky. He saved River, and managed to keep the dogs away from her.

She was alone for awhile after that, until she met Rouge, who had recently left Bloodclan. She wasn't thrilled to have a Bloodclan cat with her, but she knew that she needed him.

So they had stayed together ever since.

They ate their prey, and then curled up inside the tree.

River fell asleep almost immediately.

Rouge lay in the nest, staring at the wall until it was nearly Moonhigh.

He got up and padded out of the tree, careful not to disturb River.

He padded a ways into the forest until he heard a noise. He looked to his right and saw a gray tom standing there, with three others behind him.

Rouge looked angry and he mewed, "I've been waiting for you."

"You told me to come to the forest. Why? What am I to do? What am I supposed to tell River? Who are the others Night?"

Night gestured with his tail to a white she-cat. "This is Cloud, the first leader of CloudClan."

Night gestured to a gray she-cat. "This is Rain, the first leader of RainClan."

Night gestured to an orange tom. "This is Blaze, the first leader of BlazeClan."

Night took another pawstep forward. "And I am the first leader of NightClan."

Rouge looked at the faces of cats. "What are you trying to tell me? Why did I have to come here?"

Blaze took a few pawsteps toward Rouge, shouldering past Night. "We had a vision, about you." Rouge looked confused.

"The vision foretold that Air, Water, Fire and Darkness would break into another, and it showed you as the cat to do it."

Rouge's eyes got huge. "What are you talking about?" Cloud padded forward and stood in front of Rouge. "What they mean is that you are the cat destined to start yet another clan in the forest."

"Why me? I was a BloodClan cat before I left. Why pick me?"

"You left because you didn't agree with their rules, and their brutal way of life. You aren't a bad cat Rouge. You aren't like them."

"But… what do I do?"

"You'll see…" Mewed Cloud before Rouge suddenly fell to the ground unconscious. He opened his eyes immediately, and he gasped.

He was staring down a huge, icy gorge. He felt snow beneath his paws, and he stood up quickly. He heard a voice behind him, and he turned.

He saw Night, Cloud, Blaze and Rain. There were others also, that he recognized.

He saw his friend when he was a kit, Birch. A badger had broken into the Bloodclan camp and it had killed him.

He saw his mother, Diana. She had been hit on the thunderpath a year before.

He saw Rose, another friend of his from BloodClan. She had been injured in battle, and had been thrown out. He hadn't known what happened to her… until now.

He also saw Ripp, another BloodClan cat. He was killed when he challenged the leader. He always was too brave for his own good.

The last was Skull, the previous leader of BloodClan. Rouge narrowed his eyes, and looked up at Night. "These cats didn't believe in StarClan alive. Why are they here now?"

Night answered him, "Because you needed them."

Ripp stepped forward and touched his nose to Rouge's head. "With this life I give you courage. Use it well in the defense of your clan." Rouge felt a burst of pain, but he tried to stay standing.

Ripp stepped back and Cloud took his place. "With this life I give you justice. Use it well as you judge the actions of others."

Rouge felt another burst of pain, but he felt… different.

Cloud stood back, and Rain took her place. "With this life I give you loyalty to what you know to be right. Use it to guide your clan in times of trouble." Rouge felt more pain, but less than before.

Rain stepped back, and Rose took her place. "With this life I give you tireless energy. Use it to carry out the duties of a leader."

Rouge felt more pain, but felt like he could run anywhere.

Rose stepped back and Blaze took her place. "With this life I give you protection. Use it well to care for your clan as a mother cares for her kits." Rouge felt more pain, but felt fierce.

Blaze stood back and Skull took his place. "With this life I give you wit. Use it to make the choices you can make."

Rouge felt more pain.

Skull stood back and Diana took his place. "With this life I give you compassion. Use it well for the elders of your clan, and the sick, and all those weaker than yourself."

Rouge felt more pain, but felt new life.

Diana stepped back and a kit took her place. Birch. "With this life I give you love. Use it well for all the cats in your care."  
Rouge nearly no pain.

Birch stood back and Night took his place. "With this life I give you nobility, certainty and faith. Use it well as you lead your Clan in the ways of StarClan and the Warrior Code."

Rouge fell to the ground it hurt so much he was still gasping when Night signaled for him to stand again.

Rouge groaned inside, but did as he was told. Night continued. "I hail your new name, Icestar. Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you the guardianship of IceClan. Defend it well; care for young and old; honor your ancestors and the traditions of the Warrior Code; live each life with pride and dignity."


	2. Chapter 2

Icestar opened his eyes to see that he wasn't in the mountains anymore. He was back in the forest.

Icestar slowly stood up, trying not to go too fast. He grimaced at the pain he still felt from his ceremony.

He breathed in, and he scented something familiar on the breeze. River. _Oh no... what am I to tell her? That she was right? That I lied to her this whole time? _

Icestar took another deep breath. Whether he liked it or not, he had to tell her. Everything.

He followed her scent, and soon realized that she wasn't very far.

"Rouge! Where are you?" He saw her by a tree, looking for him.

He took a pawstep forward, snapping a twig.

River snapped around, in a defense position. Her fur bristled, and she hissed until she saw who it was.

"Rouge? Where have you been?" She ran over to him and rubbed against his shoulder.

"Well... it's a long story."

River stepped back. "What do you mean?"

"You see, you're right. I have been lying to you."

Her mouth opened slightly, and she sat down. "I don't understand." She whispered.

"You remember that thing you saw in the bush?"

She nodded. "Of course, you said I was crazy, that nothing was there."

"I lied. I know who it was, his name was Night, former leader of Nightclan."

"Former leader?"

Icestar sighed, and looked away for a heartbeat before turning back to her.

"Yes, he died. I've been talking to him. He's the one who told me to come here, to leave the city."

"But why?" River didn't seem to understand. How could she? She had lived with rouges her whole life. _Including me... but I'm not a rouge anymore. I'm a clan cat. _

"Because, I need to start a new clan. Iceclan, in the mountains. But... I need you."

River looked up, surprised. "You're a clan cat now? Just like when you were with Bloodclan?"

He shook his head. "No, this is different! I told you, I'm not like those cats. That's why I left."

River stood, and looked him right in the eye. "You need me Rouge?"

He nodded. "Yes, I do."

She sighed. "Then I guess I'm in." His eyes lit up. "Really? You mean it? After all I said to you?"

"Yes, of course. I love you." She licked him on the shoulder, and walked a few pawsteps away.

"Oh, and you can call me Icestar now." She turned back around and laughed. "Don't expect me to take a silly name like that!"

Icestar purred. "Don't worry, I don't."

He walked over to her, and he looked over the thick forest and climb that stood between them and the mountain top. "Where do we start?" He turned, and saw River eagerly awaiting his response.

He smiled. "Well, for starters we need members."

She thought a moment, staring at her paws. Then she looked back at her mate, and leader, with a sly smile on her face.

"I know where we can get some cats."


	3. Soot and Daisy

Icestar looked surprised. "Really, where?"

"In that giant twoleg garden. It isn't far from here." River nodded back toward the twoleg place.

Icestar looked over his shoulder. "Back in the city?"

"That's what I said." Icestar turned back to the silver she-cat. "But we just came from there, and you want to go back? Remember the dogs that nearly killed us?"

River stood and walked a few pawsteps away, toward the city. "Icestar, if you really want this clan then we need to go back into the city, just for a while. I know a cat there who would love to join us."

"Who is she?" Icestar watched River cautiously, wondering what cat this was. "She isn't a Blooclan cat, is she?" River shook her head.

"No, Daisy isn't a clan cat at all. She's a rouge, like us. Well... like we used to be." Icestar nodded, mostly to himself than to River. "And she lives in the twoleg garden?"

"Yes." Icestar looked at the city. He hadn't ever wanted to go back there. There was the chance that he would run into an old Bloodclan cat, or that the dogs would pick their scent up again.

"Alright. I'll do it." He mewed, standing up straight. "Lets go."

The two cats jumped over the same tangle of weeds they had crossed the night before, and they were crossing the thunderpath.

"Stop!" Icestar stopped running when River yowled, and a monster zoomed past Icestar, missing him only because he had stopped. He swallowed hard. _I really should be paying more attention to whats happening. I guess I'm just so... _

River raced over to him, dragging him the rest of the way over the thunderpath. "What were you doing? You almost got hit, and then you just stood there for another monster to come by?"

"I'm sorry River, there's just so much to do for this clan..."

"So of course, the intelligent thing to do is get yourself run over."

Icestar rolled his eyes. "Very funny. Come on, we need to find Daisy. You said she was here right?"

The two cats were now standing on the other side of the thunderpath, in the big twoleg garden.

River nodded. "Yes, at least she was last I saw her." She started walking around the large clearing, and Icestar followed her. "There are twolegs here." He sighed. River nodded. "Yeah, there always are."

She lifted her head and sniffed the air. She turned to Icestar with excitement in her brown eyes. "I have her scent!" Icestar perked up quickly. "You do, is it fresh?"

River nodded. "Yes, it is. But there is another scent..." She turned to Icestar, looking confused. "There is another scent with Daisy's that I don't recognize." A branch snapped behind Icestar and he whipped around to see a jet black tom standing behind him. "Who are you and how do you know Daisy?"

Icestar jumped. He hadn't expected this! "My name is Icestar, and this is River." He nodded to River behind him, who was looking just as startled as he did.

The black tom growled. "Clan cats... just what we need around here. How do you know Daisy?"

The tom crept out the bush, glaring at the two cats in front of him.

River stepped forward until she was side by side with Icestar. "Daisy was my friend long ago. I came to speak with her. What is your name?"

The tom lashed his tail when he answered River. "Soot. My name is Soot." He walked closer to them, and he stared River in the eyes. "Why do you need to see Daisy?"

"Tell her that it's about... a clan." Mewed River, hoping that Daisy was still enthusiastic about joining a clan. Soot nodded. "Wait here; I'll go get her, you can speak to her yourself."

Soot ran off across the garden, and disappeared into a hole in the ground that looked like an abandoned fox hole, even though no fox would stay this close to twolegs.

He came back out of the hole a while later, with a ginger she-cat, heavy with kits, behind him.

Once they were close enough, River stepped forward. "Hi Daisy!"

The ginger she-cat, Daisy, ran the rest of the way to River. "River, I thought I'd never see you again!" She rubbed up against her purring.

Soot rolled his eyes and stopped in front of Icestar. "You actually do know these cats?"

Daisy stopped and eyed Icestar. "I don't know that one... who is he River?"

"His name is Icestar, my mate." Daisy's eyes lit up. "Oh, I'm so happy for you! I found a mate also!" She nodded to Soot and River looked surprised. I mean, he didn't really seem like a good match for the outgoing, naïve cat that River had known.

"That's great." Purred River, nodding to Soot who was now sheathing and unsheathing his claws.

"What did you want to see me about?" Mewed Daisy, standing beside her friend.

"Well, it's a long story. Come with me and I'll tell you everything." River walked off with Daisy, leaving Soot and Icestar alone. Soot sharpened his claws on a tree as he spoke, "So why are you here?"

Icestar told Soot about everything, the dreams, the prophecy, the clan he was to build. Soot's eyes narrowed when he heard the name Night. "You mean the old Nightclan leader, don't you?"

He nodded. "Yes, you knew him?" Soot turned away from the tree. "No, not Night."

"You're from Nightclan?" Mewed Icestar.

Soot hissed, "None of your business! I don't need to tell you anything." Soot lashed his claws across the tree Icestar was sitting in front of, leaving claw marks. He just missed Icestar's shoulder.

He opened his mouth when River and Daisy came back into the clearing. He closed his mouth, and tried to forget what Soot had just done. "Daisy is willing to come with us if Soot is."

Daisy looked at Soot hopefully. "Did Icestar tell you?" He nodded. "Yes, he did. You really want to be in a clan Daisy?"

Daisy nodded. "Yes, I've dreamed about this since I was a kit!"

Soot sighed. "Fine. I'll do it, for you."

Daisy purred. "Thank you so much Soot! Do I get a clan name?" She turned to River.

River nodded. "Icestar, what will her clan name be?"

"Daisyheart." Daisyheart purred. "It's perfect! Soot, you can take your clan name back."

Icestar smirked at Soot, he was right. He was from Nightclan. But why was he not there anymore?

Soot sighed again. "You mean Sootfur?"

Daisy nodded. "I love it."

"Very well, my new name is Sootfur. When do we leave for the mountains?"

"Yeah." Added Daisyheart. "Our kits will be born in a moon."

"After we get this other cat River said she knew." Answered Icestar.

Daisyheart looked thoughtful, she looked across the thunderpath. "Are you talking about Fox?"

River nodded. "You know where he is?"

"Yeah, I can take you to him."


	4. Fox

_Author's Note: Sorry this one is short, writer's block!_

_River's POV: _

"Well what are we waiting for?" River mewed excitedly. "Lets go find him!" She jumped up from where she was sitting on the ground, eager to get moving.

She saw Sootfur from the corner of her eyes, looking confused, and very happy. It was clear he had never heard of any of these cats.

_Although... I never told Icestar about Fox or Daisy either. _She thought, realizing that she hadn't been completely honest with him either.

Icestar turned to the silver she-cat and mewed, "Who is Fox?"

River took a deep breath. It was a long story.

"Fox is a friend of Daisyheart's and mine." She answered, hoping he wouldn't want to know more. She looked up at Icestar with pleading eyes. _Please... _

Icestar nodded. "Alright, we will go find him. And you're sure he'll want to join us?"

Daisyheart seemed to lean forward a bit. "Yes, I'm sure. When I talked to him this morning he looked a bit lonely."

"Daisyheart, lead the way." Mewed Icestar, urging the ginger she-cat to move. She took a small leap toward the edge of the thunderpath, with the other cats behind her.

River looked up at the sky. It was sundown, and the air was getting cooler. She felt a strong breeze coming from ahead and she saw the tall mountains. They would be headed there before long.

She felt something hit her side, and she turned to see Sootfur. "Oh, do you need something?" She was pulled from her thoughts, and she realize that they were already across the thunderpath.

"How do you and Daisyheart know Fox?" River was surprised by the question. Apparently Sootfur wasn't satisfied with the answer she had given Icestar.

"He's just an old friend." She mewed, careful not to say too much.

"Is that all? Just an old friend? No story?" He narrowed his amber eyes at her, and she was left struggling to think of the right words without stammering. "Yeah, that's it. Sorry if you thought there was more."

Sootfur padded ahead to Daisyheart without another word, and River shrugged, trying to forget his icy glare. _Daisyheart said he was from a clan... but why did he leave?" _

_Sootfur's POV: _

Sootfur shouldered past River. There was more to her story than she was letting them believe. Her and Daisyheart both. But why? Why lie to him?

Sootfur grumbled something under his breath. "Do we even know where this cat lives?" He mewed, trying to convince them to move on.

"Yes, we do. We told you that Sootfur." Daisyheart was purring, but Sootfur could see no reason. "It sounded to me like you weren't completely sure."

"We'll find him, don't worry." Daisyheart brushed her pelt up against him. He rolled his eyes. _Believe me, that's not what I'm worried about. _

Daisyheart had led the cats to a narrow alleyway. There was crowfood everywhere, and the smell was awful. Icestar and River scrunched their noses up in disgust. "Ew!" Shrieked Daisyheart.

Sootfur rolled his eyes. "Kittypets..." He mumbled under his breath.

"This is nothing."

Icestar seemed to have heard him, and he quickly covered. "So, where is the all important Fox?"

Daisyheart called out to him, and River joined in. "I can scent him, and it's fresh."She mewed. "Fox!"

Sootfur turned and saw a flash of red amongst the boxes, and heard a voice. "River, is that you?"


End file.
